


Children of the Black Sun

by lilythomas11



Category: JYP - Fandom, K-pop, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Anxiety, Depression, Eventual Romance, Family Feels, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rough Sex, Suicide Attempt, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use, Underage Sex, bang christopher is life, i'm sorry i hurt everyone, stray kids - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-10-08 05:14:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17380259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilythomas11/pseuds/lilythomas11
Summary: The streets of Seoul are run by Mr. Jun, the cold and cruel leader of the Black Sun gang. As a man with specific taste, he has acquired a harem of sorts of underage boys to satisfy his needs and darkest desires. His favorite, of course, being Kim Woojin. Woojin believes he will never have a life outside of his service to Mr. Jun, but all that changes when his 18th birthday dinner takes a surprising turn.





	1. Morning After

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, this is my first fic on this site so please enjoy! I will try to update at least 1-2 times a week, depending on my school load. Everything will be sad and angsty, but I hope you guys like it!
> 
> ~Lily

Woojin woke up feeling like he’d gone through a cement mixer in a tornado. Everything in him screamed to stay in bed, but he got up to go to the bathroom. When he pulled his robe back and looked in the mirror, he got a good view of all the marks and bruises he’d obtained over the long night he barely remembered. He reached for the handle in the shower and let out a wince as the hot water hit his battered body. His shower lasted longer than he intended, but that seemed to be how things were going in his life. He needed more time in the privacy of that tiny, steam-filled cubicle to collect his thoughts and piece his humanity back together after each night of abuse.

Donning a large t-shirt and his underwear, Woojin made his way downstairs where he found Mr. Jun getting ready to leave.

“Ahh Woojin, good morning.” Mr. Jun kissed him on the cheek. “Are you excited about tonight?”

“Tonight?” Woojin wracked his brain, trying to think of anything past the morning after haze.

Mr. Jun made a tsking sound with his tongue and gently cupped Woojin’s chin, “Don’t you remember, bear? It’s your birthday.”

Woojin smiled in feigned tired way that he knew endeared him to Mr. Jun. He gently leaned his head against the much older man’s arm and hummed happily at the news that he had no care for.

“Finally, eighteen…” Mr. Jun muttered mostly to himself. “Have you decided on a gift you’d like?”

Woojin didn’t want to ask for what he desired most. All he wanted was a few nights off to rest, but that was never an option. He was always on the clock with Mr. Jun and his companions. At the drop of a hat he had to be there and be ready for anything they wanted. He was marked up for now though, which meant he would be reserved for Mr. Jun’s personal use until his bruises healed.

“A new sweater maybe…” he answered with a shrug. “My old one has a hole in it.”

Mr. Jun draped one of his intimidatingly strong arms around Woojin’s shoulder and tapped the tip of his nose as he suggested, “A shopping trip, then. I’ll clear my schedule tomorrow afternoon and we can get you a more…adult wardrobe.”

Adult wardrobe, Woojin mused. He already had copious amounts of lingerie: surely, he couldn’t mean that. He simply hummed in agreement, making a strong attempt at keeping up his tired front. He kissed Mr. Jun’s freshly-shaven cheek to sell the role even more.

Checking his watch, Woojin’s boss let out a sigh, “I’ve got to get going. I’ll pick you up for dinner at six o’clock sharp, okay?”

“I’ll be at home, if that’s alright.” Woojin mumbled. He had no intentions of spending the entire day at the penthouse all by himself when he knew some of his coworkers would be at the house.

“Of course, my little bear.”

Woojin bit back a grimace as he was pulled into the larger man’s arms, his hands finding the bruises he had left, paying them the same amount of regard as he had his unmarred skin during the events that previous night. He put as much feeling into the expected kiss as he could with a heart as weary as his was that gloomy, Tuesday morning.  
~~~~~~~~  
“Tea or coffee?”

Woojin was snapped out of his thoughts by Minho’s sudden question.

“Huh? Oh, tea.” He answered absent-mindedly.

Minho frowned and leaned across the kitchen island to tap his forehead, “Earth to Woojin, anyone home?” He laughed loosely to emphasize his playful mood. “What’s going on in there today, birthday boy?”

Woojin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, focusing on the dry texture of the bleached strands to ground himself in the moment. So many things were going on in his mind that morning, but he didn’t want any of them to come out. However, he couldn’t half-ass a response with Minho. They’d been working together non-stop for nearly two years, they knew each other inside and out. It took him a moment to sort through the mess in his head and pick a light topic of conversation that wouldn’t lead into anything deeper.

“I’m getting old.” He finally said with a dry chuckle. “Mr. Jun wants to get me an “adult” wardrobe, whatever that means.”

Minho scoffed, “How much more adult can you get? Didn’t he just buy you more of that ugly, lacy stuff?”

Woojin nodded, recalling his rant about how much he despised lace. Of all materials for lingerie, lace was his least favorite. He smiled in an amused manner as he realized just how well Minho knew him.

“I didn’t ask for an explanation.” He admitted. “Last night wiped me out.”

“I can tell.” Minho regarded him with a concerned frown. A few of the marks and bruises he had attained were visible above the collar of his t-shirt. It made the younger man sick to imagine what the rest of his friend’s body must look like.

A calm silence fell over the room as Minho made two mugs of tea. He had learned long ago never to ask for the details of Woojin’s work. The only times he ever revealed that information voluntarily was when a hard night at work would mix with a depressive breakdown. It didn’t happen very often, but it always broke Minho’s heart to get a real glimpse at what went on in Woojin’s mind.

The heavy serenity of the kitchen was broken by a shout as someone tumbled down the stairs. Woojin and Minho ran to the living room where they found Hyunjin holding his shoulder as a stream of curses left his mouth.

“What happened?” Minho asked as he looked upstairs, making sure no foul play was involved.

Woojin knelt next to the youngest boy in the house and gently asked, “Did you break anything? Do you need a doctor?”

“No!” Hyunjin waved him away, face scrunched up in pain. “Someone left their bag on the steps and I tripped on it!”

Minho went up to investigate while Woojin checked over their youngest. He picked up the blue gym bag that Hyunjin had referred to and sighed before he raised his voice, “JISUNG!”

Jisung groaned and covered his head with his pillow as Minho stormed into his room. He already knew what he was in trouble for but didn’t want to care.

“Hyunjin just fell down the stairs because you left your bag on the steps!” Minho shouted as he threw the gym bag at the bed. “He could have died!”

“It won’t happen again.” Jisung mumbled into his mattress. “Please, let me sleep.”

Minho opened his mouth to chew him out but stopped when he saw Jisung’s bare back was covered in bites and scratches. A wave of guilt washed over him. He walked over Jisung’s bed and gently touched his arm.

“I’m sorry I shouted.” He spoke softly. “Do you want some breakfast or coffee?”

Jisung shook his head and curled up under his thick comforter. Minho let out a heavy sigh and returned to the scene of the accident. Woojin was pleased to find that Hyunjin hadn’t broken anything. He looked up at Minho and frowned at his strange expression.

“What did Jisung say?”

Minho shook his head, “He apologized. I didn’t know he worked last night.”

Reality was a foreign concept to Woojin after nights with Mr. Jun but hearing that brought it crashing down on him. Usually he could drone out the seriousness of the hell the five of them had found themselves in at such young ages until he was reminded that he wasn’t getting the worst of it. Mr. Jun was rough and emotionally exhausting, but Woojin was always sure his employer would never take it too far. There was no certain guarantee with general customers, with whom Jisung had the market cornered. Sure, he always had Changbin as his escape route, but there wasn’t anything the driver could protect him against in the bedroom.

The day wore on and Woojin slowly slipped into a melancholic mindset as gray as the sky. He was not looking forward to the show he would be putting on that evening. Happy smiles, light conversation, and, of course, a night full of excitement to follow. All he wanted was to sleep, but of course that was the one luxury he was unable to afford.

Woojin felt sicker than anything about turning eighteen. The older he got, the less attractive he became to Mr. Jun. In a few years, if that, he would be replaced by someone much younger and much more pliant and Woojin would get kicked to the curb. He never completed high school or went to college, so his fate would probably be a street corner or strip club until his body finally quit. He didn’t dwell on the future very often, mainly because, deep down, he knew he didn’t have one.

“Happy birthday, Woojin…” he muttered to himself as he gazed out the window at the pouring rain.


	2. Cold Pizza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter is really short, but the next one will be really long, I promise! Just a little glimpse into the life of one of the boys!  
> ~Lily

Hyunjin helped Woojin get ready for dinner. He was always good with fashion and claimed Woojin looked good in anything he wore, a sentiment the older boy didn’t share. He didn’t envy the night he was preparing him for, but he wanted to be sure he looked his best.

“I want your opinion on this.” He said as he held up two different jackets. “Do you want to look exciting or calm tonight?”

Woojin sighed, rubbing sleep from his bleary, post-nap eyes as he squinted at the articles of clothing, finally concluding, “Exciting. Mr. Jun will be expecting exciting.”

Hyunjin returned to the large, walk-in closet that, as the most senior resident in the household, only Woojin was allowed to use. He picked out the remainder of his outfit and hung them up on the outside of the closet door. Woojin had returned to his bed and was staring at the ceiling. Sitting next to him, Hyunjin asked, “What’s wrong?”

Woojin gave him a soft smile, “Nothing. Just tired.” He sat up with a groan as the previous night’s injuries reminded him of what his evening would contain. “Honestly, I wish I could take the night off and just sleep, but Mr. Jun has a whole dinner, and everything planned.”

“You really are his favorite.” Hyunjin teased. “I wish I could take your place tonight, hyung. I’m sorry you have to do this on your birthday.”

Hyunjin was shocked when Woojin suddenly sat up and grabbed his arm.

“Don’t say that!” he cried. “Don’t ever say that. You don’t want to be Mr. Jun’s favorite. You don’t, don’t say that again.”

There was a look in Woojin’s eyes that made Hyunjin’s heart lurch in his chest. He couldn’t even begin to describe the fear and pain he saw in their soft, brown depths, but he knew better than to disregard his elder’s warning. He swallowed hard and nodded, still frozen in shock until Woojin released his arm. He stood, took his clothing from the closet door, and went to the bathroom to start getting ready.

Hyunjin sat on the bed for another few minutes trying to get his thoughts together. Woojin was the oldest boy in the house at eighteen and Hyunjin himself was the youngest at only fifteen. He hadn’t had many jobs yet, but the way they had gone and the look in Woojin’s eyes made him sick at his stomach. Unfortunately, it was easy to get in and impossible to get out. He had no family to go back to and no high school diploma to get another job. He was stuck, just like the older boys. No future at fifteen years old.

Hyunjin pushed the thought away as he went to the kitchen to get a snack. Changbin had ordered pizza for dinner the previous night, and Hyunjin eagerly grabbed a slice out of the fridge. He made his way to the living room and sat on the overstuffed, gray couch as he absent-mindedly rubbed at his sore leg. Admittedly, he should have paid more attention going downstairs, but Jisung should have cleaned up after himself; rough night or not. They all had rough nights, and no one had shown Hyunjin any pity after his last one. It was just part of the job.

As he munched on the cold cheese pizza, Hyunjin threw himself a minor pity party as he dwelled on the hopelessness of his situation. Blame it on his teenage hormones or the fact that he was essentially a sex slave before he could even get his driving permit, but so were plenty of other people in the world. Other people had worse situations than him, so he certainly had no right to be too upset.  
He finished his pizza with an unsatisfied sigh and curled into the couch, pulling one of the many throw blankets Jisung liked to decorate with over his shivering body. The rain made everything seem colder and bleaker and did nothing to improve his plummeting mood. He was so lost in his thoughts that he yelped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Woah, calm down!” Jisung threw his hands up. “I just wanted to apologize about the bag. I didn’t mean to leave it on the steps, I just forgot about it last night.”

Hyunjin sat up and rubbed his eyes to push back the drowsiness behind them. “It wasn’t as big a deal as Minho made It out to be. I think he was just stressed about Woojin. I forgive you, though.” He offered the older boy a sweet smile.

Jisung walked around the couch with a painfully noticeable limp and settled into the cushion with a low grunt. Hyunjin felt guilty for bad mouthing him, even if it was just in his head. He awkwardly reached over and patted Jisung’s shoulder as gently as he could.

“Do you want me to get you some painkillers?” he asked quietly, trying to avoid making a big deal of it.

Jisung shook his head and leaned his head back against the couch. For a moment, Hyunjin saw an expression of peace pass over the older boy’s face, but it was short lived. He felt nauseous again but blamed it on the cold pizza as he curled up under his blanket again. He was so drowsy, he didn’t even notice he was drifting off until Jisung curled up beside him, cuddling close for both warmth and affection. At first, Hyunjin wasn’t sure what to think, but he quickly decided it was nice to have non-sexual physical attention for once, especially from his friend.

With that thought, he quickly fell asleep.


	3. Lost Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so I think some of you may have noticed but I did tweak the ages and age orders a bit. It simplifies my writing process! Sorry if this upsets anyone!  
> ~Lily

Chris shivered as rain dripped down the collar of his jacket. He should have checked the weather before he got on his flight, but he was far too excited and nervous to worry about it. It had been nearly six years since he’d last seen his father after his parents divorced and he had stayed with his mother in Sydney, Australia. His whole life was thrown into limbo, though, when his mother passed away around Christmas. It took until April to hear back from his father about the custody situation.

Nausea washed over Chris as he tried to sort through all the thoughts and memories swirling around his mind. His father hadn’t made an effort to stay in contact with him, but the divorce wasn’t his fault so Chris’ feelings for him were mixed to say the least. He had a different perspective now than he did when he was eleven. His mother had cheated on his dad and he figured, maybe, if he’d been in his father’s shoes, he would have avoided contact with her as well.

Chris watched as a sleek, black car pulled up tot the curb, but he wasn’t expecting his father to step out. Especially not in a suit. He suddenly felt very under dressed and even more self-conscious than before.

“Chris!” his father called to him. “It’s so good to have you back!”

Still not over the confusion of his father’s arrival, Chris couldn’t put any words together as his father hugged him for the first time in six years. He awkwardly patted his back in response.

His father sighed as he pulled back and looked him up and down, “You’ve grown so much. Last time I saw you, you barely came up to my chest! Now look at you…” He shook his head with an astonished smile. “All grown up on me, little Chris.”

“It’s good to see you again, Dad.” Chris managed to stammer out. He opened his mouth to attempt another sentence, but his father’s driver cut him off as he had finished loading Chris’ luggage into the trunk of the car.

“Mr. Jun, we should be going.”

Mr. Jun nodded and motioned for Chris to get in the car with him. Chris was once again in awe as he took in the interior of the vehicle. Everything was automated and looked remarkably expensive. He knew his dad had found a good job in Seoul, but was he really making this kind of money?

“What do you think?” Mr. Jun asked expectantly as he smiled at his son.

“It’s really nice.” Chris whispered, still looking around.

Mr. Jun laughed, “Yeah, I’m still getting used to all this nice stuff myself. Work pays for most of the bells and whistles.” His smiled faded and he put his hand on Chris’ knee, “Speaking of work, I have to attend a birthday dinner tonight for one of my workers. I’d like it if you joined me.”

Chris’ mouth went dry, “I didn’t bring anything really fancy to wear! Is it formal?”

“We can go get you something nice if you like.” Mr. Jun waved off his concern. “Like I said, bells and whistles.”

“My Korean is a little rusty.” Chris noticed his father’s expression sharpen a little and he relented. “I guess that would be okay, yeah.”

“Wonderful!”

Soon Chris found himself in the nicest store he’d ever seen. Huge name brands lined the shelves and decorated outfits and accessories he knew he would never be able to afford on his own. He had no idea his father meant something this nice.

“Mr. Kim, I’d like you to meet my son, Chan!” Mr. Jun said to the clerk.

Chris’ attention went to his father at the mention of his Korean name. His Korean was much rustier than he thought as it took him an embarrassingly long moment to remember how to introduce himself. He bowed politely to the elderly man and listened as his father explained what they needed. He could make out most of the conversation but some of the words still fell through the cracks. He hadn’t needed the language since he lived in Korea for the summer when he was just ten years old.

Shopping for expensive formal wear was a much different experience than Chris was expecting. All he had to do was put the clothing on. His opinion on how it looked and fit mattered very little due to their time constraints, but his father purchased him a simple black suit jacket and designer jeans that cost more than Chris’ one-way plane ticket. He felt strange looking in the mirror and seeing his well-dressed reflection. He and his mother had never had much money when he was growing up. It was like seeing stranger, or maybe what could have been if his father had won the custody battle.

Mr. Jun had to take a business call when they got back to the car, so Chris was able to be alone with his thoughts. He hoped the birthday dinner wouldn’t last too long as he was exhausted from his traveling. Sydney to Seoul was an almost twelve-hour flight, but the airport experience wore him out more than anything else the whole trip. He wanted nothing more than a bed or a couch or even just a comfortable chair so he could sleep.

The restaurant they arrived at was just as fancy, if not fancier than the shop they’d gone to for Chris’ formal wear. Chris felt way out of his element but tried to play his part as a wealthy businessman’s son.

The hostess led them to their table, a private part of the restaurant with a beautiful view of the city. A young man in a red jacket was already seated at the table and stood as they approached.

“Ah Woojin!” Mr. Jun approached the young man and hugged him in a far more familiar way than Chris was expecting. His stomach twisted as his father planted a kiss on the much younger man’s cheek. “Woojin, I’d like you to meet my son, Chan.”

Chris found himself quite mesmerized by the stranger’s appearance. He’d never seen eyes so soft and yet so deep. He felt something stir in his chest as he gazed into their amber depths. He bowed politely and smiled, feeling a little breathless.

“It’s nice to meet you, Chan.” The man, Woojin, said in the sweetest voice Chris had ever heard. Something was so beautiful and yet haunting about him, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Dinner was awkward to say the very least. Chris was mentally brushing up on his Korean as he listened to the conversation between his father and Woojin. He learned that they were celebrating Woojin’s eighteenth birthday and the presence of his father’s hand on Woojin’s thigh put all manners of horrible ideas in Chris’ head. His father wasn’t a bad man. He had never been suggestive or abusive to anyone, minors or otherwise. His behavior disturbed him, but he wasn’t comfortable saying anything. Woojin looked perfectly comfortable, after all.

Mr. Jun excused himself to use the restroom and Chris poked at his food, unsure of what to say to Woojin. He wasn’t even sure this was a professional dinner, after all it was just the three of them.

“How old are you, Chan?” Woojin inquired, a sparkle in his eyes.

“Me?” Chris asked rather dumbly. “I’ll be eighteen in October.”

“Ah, you’re ’97 too!” he noted with a bright smile. “We don’t have to use honorifics then! That makes it easier.”

Chris sighed in relief, “Oh good! I keep forgetting which ones I’m supposed to be using. I haven’t been to Korea since I was little.”

“I didn’t know Mr. Jun had a son.” Woojin admitted. “Where were you hiding yourself all these years?”

“I lived in Australia with my mom.” Chris replied, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. His dad had never even mentioned him?

“Oh really? Did she come with you?”

Chris looked back down at his food, a familiar ache filling his chest, “No. She died back in December.”

The sparkle in Woojin’s eyes was replaced by something deeper and almost as sorrowful as Chris felt.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”

“It’s okay.” Chris gave him a weak smile. “You didn’t know. I have to get used to talking about it sooner or later.”

In all honesty, Chris wasn’t that close to his mother. After divorcing his dad, she’d gone from one bad relationship to the next until the car accident that took her life just three days before Christmas. He missed her immensely, but he didn’t know if he missed her as a person or just her presence.

Desperate to change the subject, Chris asked, “What exactly is your job? My dad didn’t tell me the name of the company you guys work for.”

Woojin faltered a little, “Well…It’s a private organization. I’m your father’s personal assistant. I help him with almost anything he needs done.”

“How long have you worked with him?” Chris recalled Woojin’s previous use of the word ‘years.’ Surely, he hadn’t been working for his dad that long.

Woojin laughed a little and rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, it’s been a little over two years. I was hired as part of an internship program. The company we’re with hires very young, especially in my division.”

Chris nodded, but couldn’t help noticing his questions were making Woojin uncomfortable. Mr. Jun returned to their table and when Woojin looked up to greet him, Chris saw a deep, purple mark on the boy’s neck where he had rubbed away what must have been makeup. He hated jumping to conclusions, but the evidence was adding up to an uncomfortable truth.


	4. Useless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that all of my chapters are pretty short, so I guess that's just how this is going to be. A lot of really short chapters!
> 
> WARNING: Mentions of child abuse in this chapter

Woojin’s façade was crumbling faster than he could put it back together as he waited for Mr. Jun in the bedroom. He rarely felt scared anymore, but he was still hurting from the night before and he knew Mr. Jun had a busy and stressful day, something he was sure to take out on him. He was far too tired to try anything new or to endure the “love making” they usually did. His heart was in his throat and he fought back the urge to hide as he heard Mr. Jun coming down the hall.

Mr. Jun opened the door and quickly took his tie and shirt off. He had a fire in his eyes, the exact look Woojin was hoping he wouldn’t see. He couldn’t even get a word out before his lips were as captured in a forceful and desperately unwanted kiss. Hours passed in a swirl of pain and overstimulation as his boss treated him to his “birthday present.” More marks to cover. More bone-deep bruises that left him so sore he could barely sit.

Woojin awoke with bright sunlight streaming in on his face and pain assaulting every part of his body. Thankfully, he was alone, but whether he was or not he would have burst into tears anyway. He hid his face in his pillow and cried, sobs wracking his already tired body. He lost track of time, but when he finally felt he had no more tears to cry it was almost eleven a.m. The mere thought of getting out of bed seemed an insurmountable obstacle.

A bird chirped outside the window and Woojin raised his swollen and exhausted eyes to look at the small creature. The bird stared back and Woojin felt himself wish more than anything that he could be like it and fly away from his life. Just run away and forget it all. He wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

A hot shower wasn’t enough to put together the remnants of Kim Woojin that morning. When Minho picked him up from Mr. Jun’s penthouse, he could feel something was different and very, very wrong.  
“Are you okay?” Minho asked, knowing it was a stupid question, but he needed Woojin to reveal what was in his head.

Woojin wanted to curl up in a tiny ball and disappear, but between his seatbelt and the stiffness in his lower region, it wasn’t possible. He hugged himself, shivering in his red jacket from the dinner the night before. He couldn’t get his thoughts straight. It was like a thick, white fog had settled over his mind, preventing him from putting anything more than basic functions together. He felt a warm hand cautiously touch his own and he squeezed it tightly, earning a slight smile from his driver.

“Let’s get you home.” Minho whispered.

Woojin awoke to a text notification on his phone. He rolled over in bed and stifled a cry as all the pain came back. He laid still for an agonizingly long moment. Every inch of his body felt broken and bruised.

“It’s fine.” He grunted to himself through clenched teeth. “You’ve been through worse, you’re okay.”  
Woojin’s empty stomach twisted and churned as he grabbed his phone and read the text.

Mr. J: No shopping today, bear.

A wave of relief washed over Woojin and he dropped his phone on the bed, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. He had the night off. Mr. Jun only cancelled dates when he had important business to attend to. Woojin was his arm candy at most events but not all marked up the way he was. Mr. Jun was very picky about the way his boys appeared to his business partners. No excessive hickeys or bruises were to be visible. Woojin always found that rule ironic given how rough he always was in bed.

There was a soft knock at the door and Minho’s voice pierced Woojin’s floaty headspace, “Woojin? Jisung's going to the store. Do you want anything?”

A new life, Woojin mused to himself.

“Bandages!” he called back, shocked by the hoarseness in his own voice.

Minho opened the door and poked his head in, worry tainting his lovely features. He approached the bed and sat next to Woojin. He wanted to comfort his friend but was scared of touching him. He wasn’t sure exactly where he had been hurt.

“It was really bad this time.” He whispered. “Do you need a doctor, hyung?”

Woojin shook his head and gave Minho a pained smile, “I have the night off. I’ll be okay if I get to sleep it off.”

Minho hated that he was right. He hated that this was something so normal to Woojin. He looked like he’d been through hell and back again, but all he had to do was pop an unhealthy amount of painkillers and sleep for twelve hours and he would be back to normal the next day. He was a master at playing the role he was assigned.

Woojin didn’t even notice when he finally fell asleep.

\---

“Another C? We pay for you to attend the finest arts high school in Korea and you come home with a C?”  
“I’m sorry, Father.” Woojin whimpered from his position in a full bow on the floor. “I’ll work harder.”  
“Useless!”

The word rang in Woojin’s head as he jerked awake from his all too familiar nightmare. He rubbed his eyes roughly, bright bursts of color flashing across the backs of his eyelids. He often wondered if his father even cared to know where he was now. He’d left home when Mr. Jun offered him the job after a soccer game at school. He hadn’t seen his parents in three years. It felt like an eternity.

Woojin’s father was never very caring to him, especially after he told his parents he thought he might be gay. He barely had any time to figure out if his feelings were legitimate as his father saw fit to “knock” some sense into him. The black eye was what Mr. Jun had approached Woojin about the very next day. His anger and hurt influenced his decision greatly, and he knew that. Even now though, knowing what it cost him, he was able to justify his choice every time. Mr. Jun was rough and degrading at times, but never in the way Woojin’s father had been.

Mr. Jun had never called Woojin an idiot or useless. On the contrary, Woojin was constantly showered in compliments from his employer. Nothing ever really sank in so deep as to make Woojin believe them himself, but it felt good to be called beautiful and vibrant by one of the most powerful men in Korea. Maybe it was the power that came with knowing he captivated so much of Mr. Jun’s time. He was more than just arm candy. He was Mr. Jun’s personal escort, not some lowly prostitute.

But for how long?


	5. Hiding Spot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I'm sorry this one took so long to get posted. School has been crazy. I'll try to update at least once a week from here on out. Thank you!
> 
> ~Lily

“Jeongin!”

Jeongin looked up from his comic book and removed one of his earbuds, unsure if he had heard his name called or not.

“Jeongin! Come here!”

Jeongin crawled out from his hiding spot under the checkout counter. When he stood, he couldn’t see any customers in the tiny convenient store he and his siblings had inherited when their parents had died just two years ago. What could his brother possibly need if there were no customers?

The youngest Yang child made his way down aisle four to where his brother was struggling to keep a whole shelf of toilet paper from collapsing on him. Jeongin had two choices; help his brother or laugh at him.

He easily chose both.

“Seungmin, what did you do?” he asked with an unsuppressed giggle.

“Just help me with this!” Seungmin begged, clearly about to drop everything.

Jeongin carefully leaned under Seungmin and reattached the brackets to their anchors on the frame. Once the shelf was back in place, Seungmin dropped all the toilet paper he had been holding and watched with an apathetic look as they scattered across the linoleum floor. Jeongin stooped to catch a few of them as they rolled away.

“What’s going on over here?”

Seungmin and Jeongin both flinched at the commanding tone in their sister’s voice and Jeongin turned around to face his eldest sibling. He pointed at Seungmin, “He broke the shelf!”

“Hey!” Seungmin cried.

Haerin picked up a runaway roll of toilet paper at her feet and smiled at her brothers. The last thing Jeongin expected was to be hit in the chest with the package.

“Take cover!” He yelled as he grabbed up another roll and hid behind the end of the shelving.

Seungmin and Haerin pelted each other with their rolls of paper as Jeongin gathered the stray ones that came his direction. When he finally had almost every roll, he leaned out of his hiding spot and threw them all at his siblings! When he ran out of ammo, Haerin let out a battle cry and threw the thirteen-year old over her shoulder, spinning him around as Seungmin collapsed to the floor in a fit of laughter.

Jeongin gripped Haerin’s sweater as he spun and whined, “Put me down! You started it!”

The bell above the door rang and Haerin quickly set her youngest brother down. She fixed her hair and straightened her apron while she whispered, “Clean this up. I’ll handle the customer.”

Jeongin frowned. It wasn’t fair that they had to clean up when she made part of the mess too! He turned around to tell Seungmin, but his brother was gone. With a sigh, the youngest Yang began to collect the toilet paper and arrange them on the shelf where they belonged. He felt like he always got the short end of the stick when it came to stocking and cleaning. Haerin always said he was too young to work the cashier, but he was thirteen now! Surely that had to count for something! Seungmin was only fifteen and she let him run the register.

Once he was finished fixing the shelf, Jeongin peered around the corner at the customers Haerin was helping. Usually, he would eavesdrop on the store patrons. He knew almost everything about every regular they had, except for the two boys who were at the counter. A group of teenagers had just moved in down the street from the store and Jeongin still hadn’t been able to catch their names. They bought an awful lot of unusual things; honey, band aids, copious amounts of painkillers, and the stuff in the adult section Jeongin was never allowed to stock. He grabbed a broom and began to sweep so he could get closer without seeming suspicious.

One of the boys, a blonde with cheeks that made him look like a squirrel, asked his companion, “Woojin ran out this morning. Mr. J reimburses us for this stuff, right?”

Jeongin looked over and saw that the boy was holding a bottle of medication that he didn’t recognize. He was never allowed to stock that either, but Haerin said she was the only one legally allowed to do that. There was a moon on the label so Jeongin assumed they were a form of sleeping pill.

The other boy, who was taller and had a mole near his eye, nodded, “Yeah he does, I think. You’d know better than me. Was there anything else on the list?”

Jeongin ducked into aisle four as they walked past him. The taller boy glanced his way and cocked his head at him a little. Jeongin felt frozen on the spot under his gaze. He’d never seen anyone with eyes like his. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he gripped the handle of the broom.

“Jeongin! Can you help me with something?” Haerin called from the front of the store.

Jeongin bowed and practically sprinted the other way down the aisle, away from the boy with the scary eyes. He managed to conceal his nervous state as he approached his sister, “What now?”

Haerin gestured for him to join her behind the counter, which, after giving her an odd look, he did. Haerin took the broom from him and squeezed his hand saying, “Those guys make me uncomfortable. Can you stay here until they leave?”

Usually, Haerin wasn’t very wary of customers, but Jeongin knew she had strong instincts about people, so he nodded and slipped back into his spot under the counter. When they inherited the store from their parents, Jeongin was only eight. Haerin needed a way to watch him while she tended to the store, so she put a few cushions down and taped some photos to the inside of the front counter. Over the years, Jeongin had added glow in the dark star stickers to the ceiling of his little nook and pictures of his favorite things; like the dog next door, chocolate ice cream, and his siblings. It became his hiding place, somewhere he knew he would always be safe.

From his spot under the counter, Jeongin could hear Haerin talking to the strange customers loud and clear.

“Will that be all for you, today?” Haerin asked in her customer service voice. Jeongin hated her customer service voice.

“Yes. Do you take cash?”

Jeongin recognized the voice of the squirrel boy. He figured he must be older since he was doing all the talking. The boy with the chilling eyes couldn’t have been older than Seungmin, if Jeongin was a good judge of age, which he usually wasn’t. They both seemed old, but they didn’t look old. Something felt so off about them. Something wrong.

The bell above the door rang and Haerin relaxed next to Jeongin. He peeked out of his spot and looked up at her, “Noona? Is there something wrong with them?”

Haerin sighed and squatted down to his level as she shook her head, “I don’t know. Something just feels…off in a really bad way.”

“I felt it, too. You don’t think they’re criminals, do you? They won’t come back with guns?”

Haerin chuckled as she patted Jeongin’s hair. “You watch too much TV.” She remarked with a smile.

Jeongin pouted but closed his eyes as she played with his hair. Haerin was the closest thing to a mother he had. At just nineteen, Haerin was left in charge of not only the store, but also raising her two little brothers. The adjustment was hard for all three of them, especially Seungmin. He remembered everything about their parents and blamed everything but the accident itself on their deaths. His anger had mellowed out as he got older, but it manifested itself in the way he talked about reckless drivers and drunks. He vowed never to get his license because he was sure he’d kill someone who had road rage.

Jeongin didn’t understand his brother’s anger at the time, but now he understood the loss more deeply. Even though Haerin was doing her best, there was still a substantial hole in the lives of all the Yang children that could never be filled after that fateful day in the rain.


	6. Bandages and Ramen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Life has been CRAZY busy. So two midterms and a final later, I hope y'all enjoy chapter six!
> 
> ~Lily

“You know what really makes me sick about the whole thing?”

Jisung looked up from his phone, tuning back into Minho’s rant that had been going for a solid fifteen minutes now.

“What?” He asked, trying to sound as interested as possible.

“That he called it his birthday present.” Minho’s lip curled in disgust. “He’s so messed up today for something that was called a present.”

Jisung nodded somberly. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about Woojin, but he had been working for him for two years now. Minho’s rants about how unfair their lives were had begun to get old, considering he just rehashed the same angry words with a new twist depending on the most recent atrocity. This wasn’t the first “present” Woojin had received that left him a mess like this year’s.

When Jisung was hired on, he was only fifteen. He and Woojin became fast friends when they discovered they had been going to the same school, however, Jisung’s reasons for taking the job were very different from Woojin’s. The money was too good to pass up and he knew he’d never have an opportunity quite like this. It was literally an entry level position where he’d have hands on training whenever he needed it with his new best friend. How bad could that be?

Two years later and Jisung wasn’t sure which was worse, the job itself or how desensitized he was to it. When he was younger, he never imagined waking up to bone deep aches and another piece of him he could never quite describe missing. Maybe it was his humanity? Or maybe just his dignity.

“I don’t like seeing him hurt anymore than you do…” he said with a tired sigh. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. You know how he gets when we make a fuss about him being sad and we can’t just ask Mr. Jun to stop having sex with his employee who is paid to sleep with him at a moment’s notice.”

The words felt like poison leaving his lips, but he knew they were true. Minho’s fallen expression didn’t help much with the rising pain in his chest. Woojin was an important part of both their lives, but that didn’t change anything regarding what could be done for him. He just needed time to rest. Fortunately, that seemed to be what he was going to do.

A searing pain ran through Jisung’s back as he stretched, and he remembered what his plans for the rest of the day were originally going to be. He called to Minho as the other boy headed upstairs, “Hey, can you see if Woojin needs anything from the store?”

“Yeah, I’ll ask!”

Jisung stood up from his spot on their sofa and grimaced as he rubbed at his shoulder. His last client had paid extra to mark him up, which usually wasn’t something Mr. Jun let paying customers do, however, there were always exceptions to the rule; especially for close friends of the boss. He had been rebandaging some of the deeper wounds when he realized how low they were on supplies in the first aid kit and decided to make a trip to the convenience store on the corner of their street. The owner was an intimidating young woman and Jisung didn’t like going alone for that very reason. Unfortunately, Woojin was the one to usually accompany him and he was in no shape do be walking that far in the rain.

“Hey, Jisung, can I come with you?”

Jisung jumped as the younger boy snuck up behind him. He turned around and grabbed his arm, “Don’t do that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Ow! I didn’t mean to, let me go!” Hyunjin whined as he twisted his wrist in Jisung’s grasp, freeing himself without too much struggle. He pouted, “First you try to kill me with the bag on the stairs and now you try to break my wrist?”

Jisung pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, “I already apologized about the bag. What more do you want from me?”

“Not to try and break my wrist!”

“Can you both shut up?” Changbin demanded, peering at them angrily from the stairwell. “Some of us are trying to sleep. Take your bickering outside!”

And they did take their bickering outside. They took it outside and down the road, all the way to the shop. It wasn’t until the steely gaze of the scary lady hit Jisung that he finally shut up. Fortunately, Hyunjin seemed just as intimidated by her as he was, which helped him to not feel quite so ridiculous for being frightened of a woman who sold him condoms and deli meats without asking any questions.

“What’s on the list?” Hyunjin asked as they headed towards the back of the store.

Jisung fished the paper from the pocket of his distressed jeans. He had to focus hard to unfold it as his hands were shaking, just as they had been since his last job. Some nights really were worse than others. He brushed it off and straightened his glasses as he read the list out loud.

“Bandages, ramen, gum…” He trailed off, frowning as he tried to remember the big thing they were supposed to get, but it escaped him for the moment.

Hyunjin idly touched some of the products on the shelves while Jisung gathered the items from the list. It might have been the residual frustration from their argument, but it bugged Jisung so badly he snapped, “Why are you doing that? What are you like five?”

Hyunjin glared at him as he deliberately picked up a bottle of mouthwash and shook it just to piss him off. Jisung opened his mouth to scold him when he noticed someone peering at them from the other end of the aisle. He recognized the store’s stock boy. He never spoke to any of the boys from the house, but he always watched them like a hawk. It wouldn’t be so unnerving if his eyes weren’t so large!  
The dark circles under the boy’s eyes reminded Jisung of the big thing he needed to get. He grabbed Hyunjin’s sleeve and dragged him out of the hygiene aisle to the medication, toning out the younger boy’s protests. Hyunjin yanked his arm free when they finally came to a stop.

“Stop grabbing me!” he whined. “Why don’t you just ask? I have ears, y’know!”

Jisung scoffed, “Everyone knows, Dumbo.”

Instead of the usual quick-witted return, something in Hyunjin’s eyes seemed to drop and he pulled his beanie over his ears. Jisung felt bad when he realized he had actually picked on something that Hyunjin was self-conscious about. He was the prettiest boy at the house! How could he be self-conscious about something as silly as his ears?

Choosing to ignore it instead of apologizing, Jisung picked up the bottle of sleep aid brand he’d often seen in Woojin’s medicine cabinet.

“Woojin ran out this morning. Mr. Jun reimburses us for this stuff, right?”

Hyunjin nodded, “Yeah he does, I think. You’d know better than me. Was there anything else on the list?”

“Condoms.” Jisung nodded at the display next to Hyunjin.

As Hyunjin went to retrieve the boxes, Jisung felt his stomach twist with guilt. The much taller boy looked completely deflated after Jisung’s unintentionally savage attack. He let out a heavy sigh. Minho had called him out on being insensitive more than once, especially to Hyunjin. He wasn’t sure why he felt such an animosity towards the younger boy. It wasn’t that Hyunjin was exceptionally annoying or rude, it was just that everything he did bothered Jisung!

The scary lady at the counter wasn’t even intimidating enough to shake Jisung from his thoughts, even as he paid for the merchandise. It had begun to rain again as they stepped outside, a dreary addition to an already gray day. The two boys began their walk home. Jisung found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

“I didn’t know you were self-conscious about your ears.”

Hyunjin pulled his beanie lower, “Can we just stop talking about it?”

Jisung huffed a little and sped up, more than ready to be finished with the frustrating and awkward shopping trip. When he went to the kitchen to drop off the ramen, he was surprised to see Woojin not only upright, but cooking!

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Jisung asked suspiciously as he unloaded his shopping bags.

Woojin shrugged, “I was feeling restless and hungry. I figured I might as well do something productive!”

Jisung never ceased to be impressed with the oldest of their little group. His face and neck were marked and even swollen in some spots, but his bright smile lit up the whole room, despite the fact that it never reached his eyes.

“Do you need some help?”

“Sure!” Woojin said as he moved over to allow room for Jisung at the counter. “Can you chop up that onion for me?”

Jisung nodded and grabbed a knife and some gloves. He caught Woojin’s gaze lingering on the knife. He wasn’t sure what emotion had flashed across the older boy’s eyes in the moment. All he knew was he didn’t like it.


	7. BLT's and Bruises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah i'm sucky at updating. sorry y'all. i've been going through a lot with my health recently and between that and school i've had a hard time keeping up. here's chapter seven  
> ~Lily

Chris opened his eyes and winced at the sunlight that poured in through the window above his bed. He sat up slowly, trying to remember where he was. He grabbed his phone, but the lack of service kicked his memory back into gear. He was in Seoul. He was with his dad now. Day three.

With a sigh, the young man laid back once again, dropping his phone on his chest. His whole life had turned upside down in the span of one month. He tried to make a mental list of everything he needed to get done to complete the move, but he realized he really didn’t have the specifics on anything, nor the internet access to get that information. He closed his eyes, accepting defeat. The bed seemed to be beckoning him back to sleep, but a sudden noise in another part of the apartment shook him alert.

Chris grabbed the shirt he had thrown at the end of the bed when he arrived at the apartment the night before. Despite having a full day of rest, he was still exhausted from the traveling. So tired, in fact, that he had barely registered what his father had told him. All he knew was that he had full access to everything in the apartment.

As he pulled the t-shirt on, Chris wandered out into the main room of the apartment. He was more than surprised when he saw a man standing in the kitchen. He looked very occupied with cooking something that smelled absolutely delicious. Chris covered his stomach in embarrassment as it growled, but the sound of his movement was louder than the bodily noise and the man in the kitchen looked up. Chris’ confusion only increased as he recognized him from dinner he and his father had attended the day of his arrival.

“Good morning, Mr. Bang!” Woojin greeted him with a bright smile. “Or afternoon, really. Did you sleep well?”

Chris nodded dumbly as he ran a hand through his thick, dark curls. A shock ran up his legs as his bare feet met the cold tile of the kitchen floor. He peered around the taller boy to see what he was making and was surprised once again to see bacon in the pan.

“I thought you might want to have something you’re familiar with.” Woojin said, cheerily. “Wouldn’t want to hit you with any sort of significant culture shock, right?”

Chris scoffed, “I think the last two days have had plenty of that. I don’t know if I’ll ever really get the hang of all this.”

“Your Korean is very good. Have you been here before?”

“Once.” Chris nodded. “A long time ago. Or I guess it just feels like a long time.”

Woojin plated the food prettier than Chris had ever seen a BLT plated in his entire life. He set him a place at the island while he began to clean up the mess.

“Are you not going to eat?” Chris asked before taking a bite of the beautiful sandwich.

“I had my lunch while you were asleep.”

Woojin seemed to have a constant smile. Chris wasn’t sure how it made him feel. On one hand, he was glad to see a somewhat friendly face in the midst of all the chaos his life had become. However, he couldn’t get the image of his father caressing the barely legal boy’s thigh at the dinner table. Something felt wrong about him. Very wrong.

“Did you have a good birthday?” Chris asked, trying to keep the conversation light and away from his true thoughts.

Woojin’s reaction to his question was enough to confirm his suspicions. The older boy gripped the edge of the sink, recoiling like he had been hit by Chris’ seemingly innocent question. It lasted less than a second but when Woojin turned around, he saw a fleeting look of despair in his eyes. He faced a difficult decision. Would Woojin even tell him anything if he pushed the question?

“It was good.” Woojin lied very convincingly. “I got everything I wanted. Dinner was fun!”

Chris played with the straw in his glass of water for a moment before casually asking, “Did you get to do anything fun after dinner?”

He looked up to try and catch another look from Woojin, but he had obviously caught onto the game he was playing. He returned to washing the dishes in the sink, cheery tone and expression both secured once more. His voice rang through the kitchen just as melodically as the night Chris had met him, but his words carried more meaning than he intended to give.

“Your father treated me to a fancy hotel for the night!” he practically sang. “He usually does for special occasions.”

Chris felt sick at his stomach, but his hunger encouraged to finish the entire sandwich he had been served. Woojin explained that he was going to be Chris’ personal escort until he learned his way around the city. Chris felt gross. He felt like a monster for accepting anything from his father. His mind turned to all manners of illegal reasons as to how he had amassed so much money and power in such a short time. Surely, Woojin wasn’t the only boy he was taking advantage of. Or maybe he was. Chris didn’t know. He felt more lost the more he learned, but he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t turn a blind eye to what was happening right in front of him.

After Chris had finished eating, Woojin showed him to the bathroom where brand new toiletries had been supplied. As he explained how the shower worked, Woojin leaned over the tub, causing his shirt to ride up. Chris’ stomach lurched at the sight of the finger shaped bruises on his hips.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

Woojin jerked upright and yanked his shirt back down, an embarrassed laugh escaping his lips as he hastily explained, “I slipped this morning. I guess the bruising is pretty bad. I fell on the steps outside my house. The rain, y’know.”

Chris felt bad for not believing him, but he knew very well that you can’t get bruises like that from falling.

“Like the one on your neck, Monday?” he asked against his own better judgement.

Woojin’s expression changed from embarrassment to one of near defiance.

“I bruise easily.” He said firmly, obviously wanting to drop the subject.

Chris didn’t really have a choice but to go with the older boy’s wishes. He laughed innocently, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

Woojin ignored his apology and finished showing him the bathroom before leaving him alone to shower. Chris sighed as he sat on the edge of the tub. He hadn’t meant to upset Woojin, but there was really no avoiding it. Seeing him today confirmed every fear he’d had about his father following that dinner. He had obviously been sexually involved with Woojin, whether before or after his eighteenth birthday. Regardless, Chris knew the legal age in South Korea was twenty.

His father was a pedophile.


End file.
